Georgie Woods
Encyclopedia
Georgie Woods was an American
radio personality who was best known for his broadcasting career in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area.
Woods came to Philadelphia from New York
in 1953 and began broadcasting from AM stations such as WDAS(AM) and WHAT (AM)
. He was a consultant to Dick Clark, advising him which records were popular in the African-American community. He went on to play the talents of emerging artists like the Temptations, Stevie Wonder
and Michael Jackson
over the radio.
In the 1960s, Woods used the airwaves to talk about the American civil rights
movement. He was often known to stop playing music to talk about the efforts of African-Americans and others who were campaigning for equality, and about the work of the movement's leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In 1963, Woods and WDAS radio station General manager Bob Klein chartered buses to take people down to the August 28, 1963 March on Washington, D.C.
(subsequently famous for its "I Have a Dream
" speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) and had asked a young Ed Bradley
, who later went on to be a well-known CBS
correspondent
, to be a bus captain.
According to news reports, he was due to return to Philadelphia in the fall of 2005 to be inducted into the Philadelphia Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
radio personality who was best known for his broadcasting career in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area.
Woods came to Philadelphia from New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1953 and began broadcasting from AM stations such as WDAS(AM) and WHAT (AM)
WHAT (AM)
El Zol 1340 is a commercial radio station located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, broadcasting on 1340 AM. The station is owned by Aztec Capital Partners, Inc....
. He was a consultant to Dick Clark, advising him which records were popular in the African-American community. He went on to play the talents of emerging artists like the Temptations, Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
and Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
over the radio.
In the 1960s, Woods used the airwaves to talk about the American civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
movement. He was often known to stop playing music to talk about the efforts of African-Americans and others who were campaigning for equality, and about the work of the movement's leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In 1963, Woods and WDAS radio station General manager Bob Klein chartered buses to take people down to the August 28, 1963 March on Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
(subsequently famous for its "I Have a Dream
I Have a Dream
"I Have a Dream" is a 17-minute public speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered on August 28, 1963, in which he called for racial equality and an end to discrimination...
" speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) and had asked a young Ed Bradley
Ed Bradley
Edward Rudolph "Ed" Bradley, Jr. was an American journalist, best known for twenty-six years of award-winning work on the CBS News television program 60 Minutes...
, who later went on to be a well-known CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
correspondent
Correspondent
A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is a journalist or commentator, or more general speaking, an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, location. A foreign correspondent is stationed in a foreign...
, to be a bus captain.
According to news reports, he was due to return to Philadelphia in the fall of 2005 to be inducted into the Philadelphia Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame.